When Molly Thorson’s alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m., hitting snooze is not an option. Three days a week, she coaches a 5:30 sunrise bootcamp class with Rochester Moms on the Run. Crazy? Maybe. Dedicated? Certainly. That’s why Molly is September’s Most Inspiring Member of the Month.

Nominated by Rochester co-owner Cosette Nasiedlak, Molly is in her fourth year coaching MOTR moms. “It takes a dedicated, inspiring and caring person to encourage 5:30 a.m. workouts,” explains Cosy. “Molly continues to introduce new moves and workouts to keep things fresh and work new muscles. I consistently hear from members how great they feel after her workouts.”

Molly says what keeps her motivated are the women she has the opportunity to help and how great she feels the rest of the day. “We love starting our day outside, watching the sun rise. It’s like filling our cup with friends, conversation, advice, and good workouts. When I get home my family is just getting up for the day and I can check my workout off my list. If it doesn’t happen at 5:30 in the morning, it doesn’t happen.”

The rest of Molly’s day is filled juggling family life as a wife to John, mom to Max, Norah and Ruby (ages 10, 8 and 6), and working full time as director of training and development for United Healthcare. Her career is centered on helping others achieve their best, which matches her goal in coaching Moms on the Run, as well.

According to her regular participants, Molly's philosophy works. “Thanks for leading such a great workout! Definitely started my day off right!” and "516 calories burned for me!! Love it and coffee's gone already...maybe 2?" Added another: “My favorite workout ever!”

The stronger we are the faster we are. Adding strength training to your weekly exercise routine will not only help to prevent injury, but will help make running easier. When we run we are forward focused (in the frontal plane). Try to use the other planes of motion and make your strength routine multidimensional — moving backward and side to side. This type of training helps to reduce muscle imbalances, improve muscle recruitment and forces you to activate your core. For example, add a squat to your bicep curls, incorporate a side lunge with tricep kickbacks, and incorporate upright rows while standing on one leg. Join Moms on the Run this fall for our bootcamp classes to increase strength training in your running routine. Invest time in getting stronger and you'll reap the benefits in your run.

Contributed by Kristina Ticknor, Head CoachWoodbury Moms on the Run

Today's Training Tip is sponsored by our partner Women Run the Cities (WRTC), an all-woman running event by Twin Cities in Motion. The WRTC event on Sept. 24, 2017, features races from one mile to a 10 mile. The photo below was taken at last year's WRTC event.

Doing some strength training 2-3 times a week will help a runner stay injury free by keeping strong and balanced muscles. Only 10-20 minutes after a run can get you an entire strength workout using bodyweight exercises alone. In addition to injury prevention, strength training will increase both muscular power and endurance, to improve your pace and help your running legs will last longer!

Does motivation ever seem elusive to you? These days I'm sidelined by an injury, and facing the hard truth that I'm headed in the opposite direction of my fitness goals…for now. Inspiration feels hard to come by. I haven't been able to run or lift weights for quite some time and won't be able to for at least another month.

Meanwhile, these rehab exercises are just plain boring! I'm trying to wrap my brain around "do something painful and monotonous...so you can work out again someday." But, I have to move past that, If I want to get better, right? RIGHT!!

Which Twin Cities franchise will send the most women to our end of season celebration events? We'll find out this month, and one city will win a night out for their whole team!Contest Rules:One team who has the highest percentage of currently enrolled members signed up for the banquet and race by 8/15 will win, and decide as a team their night out destination. A gift card will be provided based on the size of the team.

Congratulations to Tracy (aka back.of.the.pack.runner) from our St. Paul Highland Moms on the Run location for winning July's #MOTRstrong Instagram contest! She wins two registrations for the Women Run the Cities 5k/10k/10mile race on Sunday, Sept. 24. Not only does she take some awesome photos, but she also shares some fantastic insights that we wanted to pass along to you.

Why do you run?I run because I LIKE IT. I like the runner's high (hello endorphins!). I like being able to move (I spent the first 3/4 of my life as a couch potato). I like how I feel when I sprint up a hill. I like how I feel when I'm exhausted after a run. I like being out of breath and sweaty. I like putting one foot in front of the other.